Science Beliefs and Commitments
Because we know/understand that science...
- curriculum, instruction, and assessment should be aligned with the state and national standards and best practices
- is a constantly changing body of knowledge that can change direction at any time
- is learned best when students can specify big ideas and don’t only list facts
- provides a key tool for understanding or investigating more complex ideas and solving problems
- instruction should relate to interests and life experiences of students, connect to societal or personal concerns that require scientific or technological knowledge
- instruction should increase depth and sophistication over grade levels
- disciplines (physical, life, earth, and engineering sciences) need to be instilled in students as a body of knowledge, and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge
- learning is defined as the combination of both knowledge & practice, not separate content and process goals
- has eight practices in which science students should be appropriately immersed. These are not a linear sequence:
o asking questions and defining problems
o developing and using models
o planning and carrying out investigations
o analyzing and interpreting data
o using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking
o constructing explanations and designing solutions
o engaging in argument for evidence
o obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
- has seven concepts that frame science work
o patterns
o cause and effect; mechanism and explanation
o scale, proportion, and quantity
o systems and system models
o energy and matter; flows, cycles and conservation
o structure and function
o stability and change
Trevor-Wilmot District Science Curriculum shall...
- reflect the in-depth study of topics or content
- increase the in-depth study of topics or content in each discipline and decrease cursory coverage of a lock step curriculum
- create a common understanding of essential learning targets and responsible citizenship
- be challenging, authentic, experiential, democratic, collaborative, sociable, reflective, constructivist, developmental, and expressive
- include the content and concepts of cultural responsiveness, government, democracy, leadership, and commerce
- examine the impact of race, gender, religion, and other diversities on historical events
- examine various leadership structures, the effects of Imperialism, trade, and commerce on local, state, national and global levels as well as collective resistance to these structures
- activities should engage students in inquiry and problem solving opportunities about significant human issues
- focus on the impact and connectedness of real world issues to students’ lives and the global community
- provide multiple points of view around a single topic or event
- provide provocative content for discussion
- include thoughtful participation through reading, writing, listening and speaking to convey a content literate community
- encourage authentic exploration of topics and problem solving skills by fostering cross-curricular collaboration
- engage students in critical reading and analysis, and assist students in understanding source reliability, positionality and bias
- encourage active citizenship
- encourage authentic discussion as a method of assessing and evaluating student learning
- provide authentic and relevant learning opportunities
- build upon students’ prior knowledge to increase students’ awareness of issues beyond their immediate experience
- be global in nature and include multiple viewpoints in a safe environment
- develop the social literacy of students by imbedding the historical, geographical political and economic understanding of the content into instruction
- provide opportunities for participation in diverse groups in order to communicate knowledge, viewpoints and experiences through a variety of activities
Trevor-Wilmot District Teachers shall…
- devote time to state standards and responsible citizenship
- provide strategies and skills to determine meaning of words and phrases as used in history/social studies text
- use multiple sources, including print and non-print, to engage readers in the construction of knowledge from particular cultural, political and social locations
- model civic responsibility
- empower students to engage in conversations and investigations that focus on multiple points of view
- guide student learning of content knowledge in order to understand the role of power and authority
- provide opportunities for students to research, have meaningful discussions, formulate questions, and manage bias and multiple viewpoints about significant human issues
- provide opportunities to explore how current events link to the past, present, and future
- activate students’ prior knowledge and cultural diversity to engage students
- activate students’ prior knowledge to develop understanding of cultural diversity
- establish student participation as an expectation and utilize participation as an assessment in discussion
- create integrated and thematic units to promote democratic participation
- teach students how to identify multiple points of view using multiple literary resources
- create learning experiences that are collaborative and inquiry based
- provide a variety of sources in order to help students learn the difference between primary and secondary sources, and point of view
- provide collaborative, real-world, inquiry-based and problem solving activities
- recognize authentic discussion as a form of assessment and model effective discussion techniques
- foster an environment of respect for diversity and view cultural differences as assets
- use multiple and authentic sources to engage students to develop a diverse an in-depth perspective
- rely on discussions, conferences, observations, student writing, and other assessments to determine student learning
Trevor-Wilmot District Students shall…
- be regularly involved in historical investigations with primary sources
- determine meaning of words and phrases in social studies text
- develop the necessary skills in order to think strategically and critically in order to form a global perspective
- know the importance of gathering information to create deliberate and informed viewpoints as responsible citizens
- know the importance of voting, rights , and responsibilities as citizens
- develop an appreciation and respect for other cultures beyond their own
- analyze how power and authority impact historical, current, and personal events
- engage in research, meaningful discussions, formulating questions, and managing bias and multiple viewpoints about significant human issues
- be able to provide and cite evidence to support their perspective regarding a link of events to the past, present, and future
- be able to understand, accurately summarize, and interpret point of view in reading from various sources/texts
- be active participants in their own learning
- participate in diverse groups in order to communicate knowledge, viewpoints and experiences through a variety of activities
- through their learning, extend their social, political, cultural and economic awareness
- understand bias and point of view in order to critically read and analyze multiple sources
- collaborate to engage in real-world, inquiry-based and problem solving activities in order to become active citizens
- actively participate in authentic discussions, take ownership for their learning, and understand the value of focused discussions
- participate in a classroom environment/culture that models various local, national and global communities